Georgetown Lighthouse, Guyana

Georgetown Lighthouse
Location	Water Street, Georgetown, Guyana
Coordinates	6°49′25″N 58°09′52″W / 6.8236966°N 58.1643569°W
Tower
Constructed	1817 (first)
Foundation	forty nine greenheart piles
Construction	stone tower
Automated	clockwork
Height	30 metres (98 ft)
Shape	tapered octagonal tower with balcony and lantern
Markings	red and white vertical stripes
Light
First lit	1830
Focal height	31.5 metres (103 ft)
Characteristic	Flash every 60s, red or white depending on direction.

The Georgetown Lighthouse was first built by the Dutch in 1817 and then rebuilt in 1830 to help guide ships into the Demerara River from the Atlantic Ocean. The 31 m (103 feet) high octagonal structure is a famous Georgetown, Guyana landmark with its distinct vertical red and white stripes. The Lighthouse, located on Water Street, is maintained by the National Trust of Guyana.^[2]

The brick structure was commissioned on 1 June 1830, when it replaced a wooden lighthouse that had been built on the same site by the Dutch. British engineers constructed the present lighthouse, reinforcing the building by placing it on a foundation of 49 greenheart piles, making it durable nearly 200 years later.

A floating light was placed at the Demerara bar in March 1838 and a system of signalling to the lighthouse was established. On 27 February 1838 a Committee of Pilotage was formed and entrusted with the signalling. Before establishment of the System of Signalling, a beacon had been erected on the East Coast Demerara and vessels entering had to contribute to the cost of constructing the beacon.

About a half mile east of Fort Groyne there was a block house which was used as a signal station for vessels arriving, and for signalling to Berbice. The coastal signalling was done by semaphore stations.

A steel balcony at the top of the Lighthouse offers a panoramic view of Georgetown and West Coast Demerara. You must climb 138 stairs to access the balcony.

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Rowlett, Russ (2009-01-12). "Lighthouses of Guyana". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
^ "Historic Kingston". National Trust of Guyana. Retrieved 27 August 2020.

3. https://www.guyanatimesinternational.com/the-lighthouse/

External links[edit]

The Georgetown Lighthouse.
Photos.
Georgetown Lighthouse, National Trust of Guyana, 2002–10.

[RH-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Rowlett, Russ (2009-01-12). "Lighthouses of Guyana". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

[MW-2] "Historic Kingston". National Trust of Guyana. Retrieved 27 August 2020.

[1]

[2]

v t e Buildings in Guyana
Airports	Cheddi Jagan Eugene Correia Kaieteur Aishalton Annai Apoteri Awaruwaunau Baramita Bartica Ebini Imbaimadai Kamarang Karanambo Karasabai Kato Kurukabaru Lethem Linden Lumid Pau Mabaruma Mahdia Monkey Mountain Mountain Point New Amsterdam Orinduik Paramakatoi Paruima Port Kaituma
Amusement parks	Splashmins Fun Park
Forts	Fort Nassau Fort Zeelandia Fort Kyk-Over-Al
Government and municipal	Georgetown City Hall Parliament Building Red House Secretariat of the Caribbean Community State House
Hospitals	Georgetown Public Hospital New Amsterdam Public Hospital St. Joseph Mercy Hospital
Museums and zoos	Guyana National Art Gallery Guyana National Museum Guyana Zoo Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology
Other monuments	Arthur Chung Conference Centre Austin House Bank of Guyana Georgetown Cenotaph Georgetown Lighthouse Stabroek Market Umana Yana
Places of worship	Brickdam Cathedral St Andrew's Kirk St George's Cathedral Mission Chapel
Sports venues	Bourda Providence Stadium South Dakota Circuit Synthetic Track and Field Facility